We're for Social Justice: Modern Slavery Act 2018

We're for Social Justice: Modern Slavery Act 2018

I believe that everyone should have equal access to health, well-being, justice and opportunity.

Throughout my time serving this state I have always sort to represent those who can not speak for themselves. I have voiced my support for the families of this state, for home schooling parents, for the values and beliefs I hold.

My greatest achievement, was the introduction and passage of the Modern Slavery Bill.

As a father of two daughters I was deeply impacted by the movie "TAKEN".

It started me on a journey of really looking at how I could use my role as a Member of Parliament to stand up and speak up for those who could not do so themselves - particularly those experiencing oppression and slavery.

In the state of NSW I identified four key improvements we could make to help free people from this horrific crime.

Firstly our state could establish an Anti-Slavery Commissioner. A person who is tasked with the role of continually ensuring that NSW is actively working to stamp out slavery on a state-wide level. The role would also include the management the electronic register of all Modern Slavery Statements made by Governments, business and corporations.

Secondly our Bill introduced Modern Slavery Statements, that is compulsory reporting by government and commercial organisations with an annual turnover of $50 million. By encouraging business to explore their supply chains and check to make sure that in the production of their goods no modern slavery is relied upon.

This increases the vigilance and raises awareness that modern slavery does take place and that by identifying where it is taking place we can then work together to enact change.

Thirdly this Bill set about establishing a "victim-centred" approach to supporting victims of this crime that are identified within our state. Sadly, to often victims of this trade are simply returned to the countries they came from and little is done to genuinely support them and see justice done and perpetrators punished.

In NSW we have set a standard in which victims are to be supported and the actions of the perpetrators are held to account.

Finally this Bill closed legal loopholes that had previously allowed perpetrators of cyber-sex trafficking to escape punishment. With cyber-sex trafficking on the rise this was a vital change in our NSW law.

The Modern Slavery Bill 2018 passed the NSW Parliament on Thursday 22nd June, a day I will never forget, and a day I know we drew a line in the sand to tackle this heinous crime.